Sunday, June 24, 2007

Cut-ups

Cut-ups were re-invented (after Tristan Tzara in the 1920s) by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gyson during the 1950s as a method of effecting the spontaneity of creativity. Burroughs made a literary living from his enthusiasm for cut-ups and they are extensively in evidence in many of his works - including the notorious Naked Lunch.

Whereas Burroughs had a typewriter and scissors (although an early program with Ian Sommerville already tried to optimise the process), current technology affords another level of randomisation and re-arrangement not possible without enormous effort using paper. Flip through to the Lazarus Corporation to make your own. With a bit of ad hoc editing I managed the following update to the Pater Noster ...:

Done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
give us our mother, which art in heaven,
thine is the kingdom, the power, and the trespass against us.
and lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
as thy trespasses come hallowed thy kingdom
we forgive them.
that our will be for glory,
for ever and ever. amen.
this day our daily bread.
and forgive us

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